Surgery reduces mortality in prostate cancer but does not not influence quality of life or overall survivalSeptember 11, 2002Two large Scandinavian studies evaluating the long-term effect of prostate cancer treatment are published in The New England Journal of Medicine this week. In the first study, 695 men with newly diagnosed prostate cancer were randomised assigned to radical prostatectomy or watchful waiting. The result shows that radical prostatectomy significantly reduced disease-specific mortality, but there were no significant difference between surgery and watchful waiting in terms of overall survival. However, men assigned to radical prostatectomy had decreased urinary obstruction and reduced risk of distant metastases. In a follow-up study on the quality of life of 326 men, the negative effects of surgery or watchful waiting were analysed. Erectile dysfunction was more common in the group that had undergone surgery compared to the watchful waiting group (80 percent vs. 45). However, many of the men reported having an active sex life and intercourse despite erectile dysfunction. Quality of life did not differ between the two groups. Previously it was believed that radical prostatectomy increase survival, but on behalf of a reduced quality of life for the patient. In conclusion, the results from this study show that the choice of treatment does not influence quality of life. The researchers conclude that each man must judge for himself which treatment is preferable. Some men give full priority to survival whereas others want to avoid therapy-induced distressful symptoms. Most of the men that took part in the study were diagnosed due to clinical symptoms. | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Related Prostate Cancer Current Events and Prostate Cancer News Articles Drop in cancer deaths tied primarily to gains in behavior and screening Improvements in behavior and screening have contributed greatly to the 13 percent decline in cancer mortality since 1990, with better cancer treatments playing a supporting role, according to new research from David Cutler of Harvard University. Prostate cancer spurs new nerves Prostate cancer - and perhaps other cancers - promotes the growth of new nerves and the branching axons that carry their messages, a finding associated with more aggressive tumors, said researchers from Baylor College of Medicine in the first report of the phenomenon that appears today in the journal Clinical Cancer Research. Relationship between prostate information and lower urinary-tract symptoms evident In the December issue of European Urology (http://www.elsevier.com/locate/eururo) Dr. Curtis Nickel and associates report on the evidence of a relationship between prostate inflammation and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) in men enrolled in the REDUCE trial. A card-swipe for medical tests University of Utah scientists successfully created a sensitive prototype device that could test for dozens or even hundreds of diseases simultaneously by acting like a credit card-swipe machine to scan a card loaded with microscopic blood, saliva or urine samples. Media coverage of lung cancer is increasing, and increasingly negative, new report shows CancerCare today announced that despite an overall increase in news reporting on lung cancer, the overall tone of lung cancer media coverage has become significantly more negative. Supercomputer provides massive computational boost to biomedical research at TGen In less time than the blink of an eye, the Translational Genomics Research Institute's new supercomputer at Arizona State University can do operations equal to every dollar in the recent Wall Street bailout. Prostate cancer gene test provides new early detection Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common male cancers in the Western world. Currently, early detection of PCa depends on an abnormal digital rectal examination and an elevated prostate-specific-antigen (PSA) level requiring a prostate biopsy, often associated with anxiety, discomfort, complications, and heavy expenses. New Catheter-less Technique May Ease the Pain and Discomfort of Prostate Cancer Recovery To ease the pain of recovery following prostate cancer surgery, physician-scientists have developed an innovative and patient-friendly approach that eliminates the use of a penile urinary catheter. Racial disparities decline for cancer in Missouri Cancer death rates in the United States are highest among African Americans, but a new report shows that in Missouri the disparity in cancer incidence and death between African Americans and whites is declining. OHSU Cancer Institute researchers study breathing during radiation Oregon Health & Science University researchers have determined exactly how much breathing affects prostate movement during radiation treatment. More Prostate Cancer Current Events and Prostate Cancer News Articles |
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